


Heart of Fire

by CriedMore



Series: Black Veil Brides Slash [2]
Category: Black Veil Brides
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Historical, Beauty and the Beast Elements, Dragons, Fate & Destiny, Happy Ending, Historical, Kidnapping, Love at First Sight, M/M, slightly ambiguous ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-14 22:48:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14146293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CriedMore/pseuds/CriedMore
Summary: In which Ashley falls in love with a human-shaped dragon.





	Heart of Fire

_For generations, the people of the land were terrified by the dragon whose mountain sat overlooking their villages. The dragon burned and flattened and mauled anyone who strayed too close to it's home: protecting it's precious treasure: it's hoard of silver and gold and jewels. Those who were sensible learned to stay away from the dragon and its treasures, but for others the temptation was too great._

_Many methods were tried to get past the dragon: brute force to subdue it, waiting for it to fly away from its home to evade it, drugging food and wine to make the dragon sleep to sneak around it: but none of their methods were successful. No matter what the treasure hunters did, the dragon always kept its hoard firmly within its grasp: and those who had tried to take it away from it were never seen again. As time progressed, the treasure hunters got more and more desperate to get their greedy hands on the dragon's hoard, but none of them could find a way to separate it from the fierce dragon guarding it._

_Until one man rolled his eyes, and declared it obvious._

_That man led his band of mercenaries and their 'trade' up the dragon's mountain: never bothering to hide their presence, until they met the dragon waiting for them at the entrance to it's caves:_

_"Great dragon, we come bearing a gift to honour you!"_

_The dragon snorted, amused, before tilting his head in curiosity: "Oh? Why have you decided to honour me on this fine day? And with what?"_

_"To ask for your good will, we bring you a sacrifice!" the man declared, nodding for two of his followers to approach - a third man bound and held between them, face obscured by the sack cloth over his head...until the man ripped it away from him: "A prime male in the best of health! To do with what you what you will."_

_The dragon tilted it's head for a few seconds, considering. He knew the humans wanted his treasure: and he knew exactly what they expected him to do with the terrified human they'd likely forced into this situation. The dragon took offence to that._

_And so the dragon lost his temper._

* * *

         

I squeaked at the sound of a furious roar, closing my eyes as if not seeing the dragon's rage would somehow protect me from it. The hands keeping me in place released me, and I dropped to the muddy ground, curling so my face was tucked between my knees, trying to make myself as small as possible. Maybe the dragon wouldn't see me, maybe it would think me inconsequential, maybe it wouldn't kill me...I could only hope.

The sounds of a brutal fight continued above me, the dragon roaring and spewing fire, lashing out with claws and razor-sharp fangs, all while the mercenaries that had brought me here screamed and fled for their lives. Slowly but surely, the sounds of the fight started to drift away as the dragon pursued the men who had encroached on its territory. I didn't bother to have any sympathy for them; they had kidnapped me from the fields I'd been working in, thrown a sack over my head, and dragged me up this accursed mountain to be some kind of sacrifice for the infamous dragon. They deserved what they got, as far as I was concerned...I just wanted to ensure that I didn't meet the same fate as they did. I only wanted to go home.

Goal in mind, I looked around me to check that the coast was clear, finding that it was, before jumping up and sprinting for the trees. The forests on this side of the mountain were dense and dark: perfect to hide from a dragon flying above, and from mercenaries trying to do the same. The only downside was that I'd been blindfolded on my way up, and because of that I had no idea where I was going.

Disorientated and more than I little afraid, I stumbled around until dusk fell, when my panic finally overcame me and I collapsed to my knees: sobbing into my hands. I couldn't escape the feeling that I was going to die here - that no-one would find me, or I was going to be attacked by the huge nocturnal predators, or one of the mercenaries would sneak up on me. So many bad things could happen, _would likely_ happen, and there was nothing I could do. I was unarmed, bruised from my kidnapping this morning, and scared beyond my wits ends.

          

_Please, gods, just make it quick..._

          

Resigning myself to prayer and hoping that, whatever did kill me, it wouldn't be too painful: I sat back on my heels and just waited. Death would come soon enough, I was certain, and there was no point fighting it. I would accept my end with dignity, and hope that that would be rewarded with a quick and painless death.

And when glowing eyes appeared in the darkness, I figured my time had come.

Hovering in the bushes, the bright blue orbs of light slowly moved closer and closer: eerily silent in the dense undergrowth, making me think it was one of the wild cats that lived in the trees. They were beautiful creatures, and in a numb sort of way: I didn't actually mind being killed by one of them. Better than one of the mercenaries that had kidnapped me - at least with the cat my death would be for a purpose, not out of needless violence.

But then, when the owner of the eyes cleared the tree-line, it wasn't a wild cat. It was a human. And even though he didn't look like one of the mercenaries, he was still easily terrifying. Standing at well over six feet tall, he was taller than any of the men in my village: where I was considered comfortably above average. His frame was lanky, but I could see the muscles under his skin: and he moved with an elegance and confidence that assured me he was confident that he could fend of any attackers, despite his lack of armour or weaponry. Even though he was dressed in nothing but black leather trousers, loosely laced up at the front, I could tell that this man was dangerous. And I suddenly felt a lot less okay with dying.

      

I scrambled to my feet again, readying myself to flee again, only for the man approaching me to start laughing darkly...with a sound that was strangely reminiscent of the dragon's amused snort: "You can run, human, but you can't hide from me in my forests."

"I just want to go home." I pleaded with the other man - if he was indeed a man, something I doubted now that I could see the elongated black claws emerging from his fingertips - "Please, just let me go home."

"But your kind gave you to me." the...whatever he was smirked: "That makes you mine."

I paused; uncertain about how to tell this being that I was a person, and a person couldn't be given as a gift and then kept somewhere against their will...but before I could even start to explain that to him, he was right in front of me, my eyes level with his collar bone for just a few seconds before my world tilted and I was thrown over the strange being's shoulders: "Let me down!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm perfectly capable of walking!" I insisted, a little breathless from where his bony shoulder was digging into my stomach: "And it's rude to just grab people up without asking their permission or warning them!"

He seemed to consider my words for a few seconds: "You don't have the proper shoes for these kind of surroundings: if you walk, you will end up injuring yourself further than you already have. And so though I do apologise for being rude, I am not going to put you down."

      

I spluttered, but by the time I could form a coherent complaint, my captor was already striding through the trees. He wasn't going to put me down, I knew that, certainly since he believed he had already gotten his own way. There was nothing I could do but try and relax, to lessen the uncomfortable sensation of his shoulder digging into me.

Unlike me, the being made it back to the mouth of the dragon's caves in a matter of minutes: the moonlight giving his skin an unearthly glow, before we were swallowed by the darkness of the cave. The way he navigated the pitch darkness dispelled any lingering hopes that he was human: in fact, I was started to put more and more stock in the idea that he was, somehow, the very dragon I had been brought here to sate. Gods help me. Even if he was wingless now, and walking on two feet, I had no doubt that fighting against this creature would be entirely futile. I'd probably hurt my hands slapping his face, with how sharp his cheekbones were. If he didn't just set me on fire for daring to even try to attack him.

Finally, the dragon slung me back down: onto what felt like a soft pile of furs. He slipped away a second later, leaving me alone in the darkness. Fear skittered down my spine, almost making me whimper aloud, before I swallowed the sound and forced myself to sit up. In a split second, the dragon had started to illuminate the small cave we were in: lighting sconces with his fiery breath. The flames were nothing like normal flames - they were white-blue, and never burned higher than the top of the confines that the dragon put them in.

He smiled at me over his shoulder, the expression disarmingly...boyish for an ancient murderous lizard, once he was finished lighting the sconces around the room: throwing it all into clear detail, before he disappeared into another chamber of the cave: returning with a golden basin of water, and some clean rags:

    

"You've cut some cuts - I would like to clean them for you."

 _Well...it would be cutting my nose of to spite my face if I refuse, wouldn't it?_ I reasoned, nodding at the dragon: nothing how he had waited on the other side of the room before he approached: "Please."

   

He hummed happily, sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the pallet of furs he had put me on, carefully using the rags to clean the cuts on my face, arms, and hands. It seemed he wasn't overly talkative: happy to keep his opinions to himself, until he was finished with my arms and moved to lift my top.

I balked, pushing myself backwards and out of the dragon's reach. He looked stricken, but truthfully I hadn't been able to help myself; the way I'd moved was completely instinctual.

 

"You...uhm...you shouldn't try and take people's clothes off. Really makes them...uncomfortable." I explained, watching the dragon tilt his head as if confused, and rushing to explain: "It's immodest to be half naked around people you don't know well - especially if you're going to be touching them."

Thankfully, the dragon didn't lose his temper: he just laughed: "You humans are very strange. It's only flesh. Everyone has it."

 _Well, when he puts it like that_..."Still, I'd rather keep my clothes on, all the same. I'm not injured anywhere underneath them. I'd know, if I was."

"If you say so." the dragon shrugged: "I think I have some more human clothes somewhere...don't know where, mind you, but I'll try and dig them out for you. Humans always seem to be changing their clothes. Is that for modesty too?"

"No, that's for...cleanliness..." I shrugged.

"Oh. I have a spring for that." the dragon smiled: "It's far better than the streams your village uses."

Considering the stream our village used was freezing cold most of the year round, and filled with fish that ranged from irritating to dangerous, I didn't doubt it. But I didn't say that to the dragon - I merely smiled and shrugged: "The stream does what it needs to do. We're used to it."

"But it's _cold_." the dragon whined, almost playfully: "I hate the cold."

     

I smiled, oddly charmed by the dragon's childishness. He was...for want of a better word, adorable. An ancient monster shouldn't be able to be adorable, but somehow this being managed it. Maybe it was fact he looked like one of youths from the village - ignoring the claws on his hands and feet and the slightly elongated canines - when he smiled, or his generally friendly demeanour, but he was extremely likeable.

Still, that didn't stop me from being wary of him. He may be likeable - but he was also a dragon responsible for the slaughter of hundreds of men...true, men that had often provoked him, but I didn't know if that justified butchering them. And I knew nothing about him other than he was strangely charming, he thought humans were strange, and he hated the cold. I didn't even know his name - or if he even had one; maybe dragons didn't think names were important, just as they thought clothing and modesty were amusingly odd. Or maybe that was just this dragon.

The endless questions felt like falling, and it was starting to give me a headache, so I was all too glad for the dragon to start talking again: even if it was to question me.

 

"You look as if you're in pain - what's wrong?"

I shook my head, again finding myself charmed by the dragon's concern: "I was just thinking - I have a lot of questions, and not enough answers."

"Well, I can answer your questions. What would you like to know?"

 _Oh, where to start_...I thought, trying to order my thoughts into some semblance of a reasonable order: "I suppose I should start off with the simple things, shouldn't I...what's your name? Do dragons even have a names?"

The dragon laughed: "Of course dragons have a names; it would be very confusing when we got together if we didn't. I'm Andy. What about you?"

"I'm Ashley...but people call me Ash." I smirked, knowing he'd probably like that, before asking my next 'safe' question: "How old are you?"

Andy laughed, getting a kick of out my name in a way that only a fire-breathing creature would, before answering my next question: "I'm not that old - I'm barely an adult, by my kind's standards. My mother still flies by every few months just to make sure I haven't managed to kill myself yet. Next question?"

    

Surprising, Andy didn't seem to have any boundaries when it came to my questioning. He answered everything I put to him - including offering to show me his hoard: something I would _never_ have expected from any dragon, even a genial one like Andy. Everyone knew that dragons valued their hoard above all other things: even above food or water. We'd all heard the tales of dragons starving when the food and water sources around their liars had diminished. Yet Andy seemed to have no reservations, about that or anything else.

He told me he was considered antisocial by dragon standards, having deliberately chosen a home far, far away from any other of his kind: including his parents. He said he sometimes got a little bit lonely, but that was okay; because I was with him now. I carefully skirted around that topic: focusing instead on his next lone explanation: that he hoarded far more than silver and gold (although he did like precious metals and jewels too) but he collected whatever he could, since he hadn't settled on what he wanted yet - because some dragons hoarded musical instruments, others favoured weapons, and some hoarded books; it depended on the individual. Gold and silver and jewels were useful though, Andy explained, because when laid upon in dragon form they could impress into the soft flesh of their bellies, and act as a form of protection against the weapons of men.

Over the course of the evening, Andy told me things that I never would have imagined - so care-freely, that I knew I would never repeat any of it. I couldn't betray such an innocent creature: I just...couldn't even imagine doing anything that may cause Andy harm. He was far too sweet for me to put in danger. And though that was a little surprising, given that he was a dragon, I...didn't really mind.

I was too busy laughing at Andy pouting at being told humans (typically) didn't share beds with people they weren't related with unless they were married to be bothered that I liked the dragon who had left my village in terror for decades. No, instead, I laughed until my cheeks hurt: watching Andy smile and continue to joke from his spot by the edge of the furs. Despite my obvious warming to him, he hadn't moved from that spot since I recoiled from him hours ago: not seeming to mind the uncomfortable roughness, or the cold temperature - when I knew it had to be bothering him.

Maybe it was the fact he had been so kind to him, maybe it was the strange attraction I'd been feeling all night, but I didn't want him to be uncomfortable. So I asked if he wouldn't rather sit on the furs with me...which was probably how I ended up waking up the next morning, with a dragon in human form wrapped around me. Not that I particularly minded; Andy was like a furnace pressed against my back, and it was undeniable that I felt safe in his arms: even with his claws inches from my belly, and his fangs millimetres from my throat. It wasn't like he was going to use them; if Andy had wanted me dead, I wouldn't have ever made it out of that forest. I wasn't at all scared by Andy...in fact, I was rather enjoying having him so close. I actually wriggled a little closer to Andy, basking in the warmth he was giving off, and allowing myself to be lulled back into a doze by the slow sound of his heartbeat. I didn't even know he was awake until I felt one strong arm tighten around my waist, pulling me even closer. I was startled...but soon relaxed.

He was warm. And strong. And he smelt nice. I was actually enjoying myself. There was really no reason to pull away.

    

"Good morning, Ashes."

I smiled at the new nickname, but didn't comment, responding simply with: "Good morning, Andy."

"Did you sleep well? I do hope you were not too cold - I know it can get a little chilly in the mountains, especially for humans. I meant to find you a blanket...perhaps if we go looking through some of the treasure caves today..."

"I don't want to take anything from your hoard..." I protested: not just because of the rumoured wrath of a dragon separated from its treasure: but also because I didn't want Andy to be upset when he had been so kind to me.

But Andy didn't seem to be worried: "Don't be silly. What's mine is yours, Ashes. You are my Mate, after all."

     

_Mate? What on earth..._

 

"Your Mate?"  asked, half-hoping that it didn't mean what I thought that it meant...and secretly half-hoping that it did.

"Of course. My Mate - all dragons have someone, either another dragon, or a human, or anyone really, who they have decided to hold dear above all others. That's you. You're the one I have decided to court."

"Andy..."

"It's okay." Andy shrugged: "I don't expect you to just accept me as your Mate on the basis of nothing. That's what the courting stage is for. I will show you that I can be a suitable and even a _good_ Mate. If you'll give me the chance."

 

I...didn't think I had a choice.

Andy had made it clear that he thought I was his - even if he didn't expect me to accept him as my Mate - and that...that didn't make me think I had the option to leave. Just as if Andy had wanted me dead: I would be so, if Andy wanted me to stay in his caves: in his caves I would stay. I couldn't fight him. I didn't even want to, really. Partially because I knew it was futile _(because who expected to fight a dragon and win?)_ , partially for my own safety _(because, really, who expected to fight a dragon and live?)_ , and partially because because...again, I just didn't want to.

Did Andy have some kind strange power over me? Was it a dragon thing - or just an Andy thing? Was it even a thing, or just a product of my paranoia? I didn't want to be so compliant, and so I came up with a reason for that weakness? That wasn't far on Andy. He had been kind to me, even if I was keeping me here half-against my will.

                

_Perhaps I should give him a chance? What could go wrong?_

            

Death via being torn limb from limb, death via burning, death via being eaten...it was a rather comprehensive list of ways I would wind up dead.

         

_But, as I've already figured out: if Andy wanted me dead, then I would already be dead._

      

That only meant that he hadn't wanted me dead yet, though. If I rejected him, that would be reason aplenty for him to fly into a rage. No pun intended. Yes, Andy seemed perfectly pleasant: but, then, many people did...until you gave them a reason not to be. And it wouldn't be the first time someone had killed another over a romantic rejection.

...But I just couldn't imagine Andy being that way. I was sure he was perfectly capable of doing me harm - but he was also the dragon who had carried me so that I wouldn't hurt my feet on the rocky terrain. He was the one who had cleaned my wounds. And he was the one who had slept curled around me all night to keep me warm in the chill of the caves. I knew humans from my village that wouldn't do that for me: and yet Andy, a dragon and a complete stranger, but he had. And I would think that that made him suitable Mate material...even if I didn't know much about dragons and their Mates...but my instincts said Andy could be trusted.

And, to be fair, they hadn't been wrong before.

       

"And you're sure you want to court me?"

Andy sat up, leaning over me so that I could see the wide, genuinely happy smile on his face: "Of course! You're my Ashes; you're perfect."

I shook my head: "As nice as it is to be called perfect, Andy, how can you know that? You've never met me."

The dragon blushed, dropping his eyes...but not moving away from me: "Actually, I know a lot about you...I...I used to watch you. When you and your friends wondered away from the village, to go to the stream or into the forest...you were always so brave and strong. I always wanted to work up the courage to talk to you, but I never could. I came close, once...that time you sprained your ankle?"

"When I slipped on those rocks down by the river?" I asked: "I was knocked unconscious...I was lucky not to fall face-first into the water and drown..."

Andy shook his head: "Not lucky. Well, a bit lucky. I caught you before you fell...but I didn't look human, so I had to take your memory. I'm sorry about that, but you were so scared, making you sleep seemed the kindest option when I had no time to think. I apologise for that. Deeply. You weren't ever supposed to see me again...but then the mercenaries brought you up here. Fate has determined we should be back together. You see that Ashley, don't you?"

"I do." I whispered softly...because I did.

   

I believed every word Andy said to me...and now, with my heart beating almost out of my chest, I turned so I could show Andy just how much I believed that.

By kissing him.

Leaning up, I pressed my lips against Andy's almost desperately - and he kissed me back with just as much passion. I parted my lips instantly, allowing him access with a small, needy moan as Andy's tongue explored my mouth. His hands rose, one cupping my cheek while the other moved down to my waist, pulling me closer to his warm chest. I couldn't help but hitch one leg over his hip: making him smirk against my lips.

I smiled back into the kiss, nipping lightly at his lower lip and licking over the sting. Of course Andy bit me back, the sharp almost-pain dragging a moan from my throat: that was met with Andy gentling the kiss, before pulling away just an inch:

 

Just enough to say: "You've made me so happy, Ashes. So, so happy. I love you."

"Oh, Andy, I love you too!"

 

Grinning ferally, Andy rolled us over so he was pinning me to the furs below us, before leaning down to once again connect our lips...and reaching down to knead my backside: making me grin back against his mouth. I thought I could be happy here.

Scrap that.

I _knew_ that I would be happy.

I already was.

   

* * *

     

_For generations, the people of the land were terrified by the dragon whose mountain sat overlooking their villages. The dragon burned and flattened and mauled anyone who strayed too close to it's home: protecting it's precious treasure: it's Mate, a young human who was offered up as a sacrifice and never seen again. Those who were sensible learned to stay away from the dragon and its treasure, but for others the sense of obligation to one of their own was too great._

_Many methods were tried to get past the dragon: brute force to subdue it, waiting for it to fly away from its home to evade it, drugging food and wine to make the dragon sleep to sneak around it: but none of their methods were successful. No matter what the 'rescuers' did, the dragon always kept its Mate firmly within its grasp: and those who had tried to take him away from it were never seen again. As time progressed, the humans got more and more desperate to appease their guilty souls, but none of them could find a way to separate the human from the fierce dragon guarding him._

_Until one man rolled his eyes, and declared it obvious._

_That man took herself up the dragon's mountain, never bothering to hide his presence, until he found the dragon and his Mate waiting for him at the entrance to their caves:_

_"You happy here, Ashley?"_

_"I am, CC. I really am."_

_"Good. Maybe think about coming down to see your grandma some time - she misses you. Bring your dragon - " the man smirked at the insulted-looking creature, the great beast unused to not being the centre of attention: " - She says she'd like to meet him. I think we all would."_


End file.
